Impact and Innovation Fund 2026 – 2027

Expression of Interest

Impact & Innovation

For instances where working with partners outside the UK, please read our Toolkit for guidance.

If you have had IIF or KEI funding in the past, please note that the IIF report and Pure updates for that funding will be needed before you can reapply. If your funding in still on-going, you will be asked to explain how your current funding request fits with the previously funded project. The report template can be found at the bottom of this page.

• The Fund is open to University of St Andrews academic staff. They must have a contract of employment in place that covers the full duration of the project.
• A staff member can be principal investigator on just one application per round.
• Proposals must be based on research conducted (solely or jointly) at the University of St Andrews.
• The Fund is intended to seed nascent impact projects. Applicants are not limited in the number of times they can apply to the scheme. However, it is expected that established projects will seek alternate external funding opportunities.
• Upper limits are not guaranteed, and levels of funding are at the discretion of the peer review panel.
• If you have previous IIF or KEI funding, please note you must be up to date with project reports and Pure updates for that funding to be eligible for any additional round.
• If your funding is ongoing, you must explain how your current funding request fits with the previously funded project in your application form.
• External & internal matched funding, in cash or in-kind, should be sought where possible. This includes any funding from the School or Department. This is a desirable criterion only.
• Proposed applications should be reviewed in advance with the School’s Director of Impact & Innovation DoII. Letters of Support will be sought directly from DoIIs (or other relevant School leaders) after a full application is received.
• When a School submits multiple applications, the School’s DoII is required to rank them in order of priority to the School. The DoII will submit this ranking to the panel in the week after the competition submission deadline has passed.
• Eligible applications are judged on quality. They are not required to focus on supporting the REF2029 submission. The full scoring criteria are given at the bottom of this document.
• A mandatory Expression of Interest (EoI) stage is expected at least 7 weeks before the deadline to assess eligibility, resource needs and project development.

• Proposals must focus on impact (not basic research, not dissemination of basic research).
• The impact stems from research outputs, wholly or in part, from the University of St Andrews. Upcoming publications/outputs also meet this criterion.
• Proposals must provide letters of support for all external partnerships they name.
• There are clear proposed timescales for completion of activities including milestones and designated ‘fast fail’ points. (‘Fast fail’ points are instances where the project is unable to succeed as first planned and will use its progress to agree an altered scope with the panel chair, through the Research Impact team, or will cease its work.)
• Proposals must address the principles of responsible innovation and the AREA (Anticipate, Reflect, Engage, Act) framework. (Please consult this resource for more information).

Projects that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be rejected without going to the Panel.

• Travel costs can be included if they are part of the mechanisms to achieve impact, e.g. meetings with non-academic partners.
• The purchase of equipment may be allowable if this is an essential part of the proposal to create impact. If unsure, please contact the Research Impact team ([email protected]).
• Non-permanent staff time

• Impact Small Award: Up to £5,000
• Impact Main Award: £5,000 to £15,000
• Innovation Small Award: Up to £7,500
• Innovation Main Award: £7,500 to £25,000

Both Main & Small Impact and Innovation streams with have deadlines in Autumn 2026. The Small fund will have an additional round in late January 2027. There will be a Spring 2027 call.